Abel to Yzerman

Entries with the tag: sopel

Bruce MacLeod has a blog. And he’s a beat writer who updates it frequently and uses it for its intended purpose: to give us up-to-the-minute information rather than making us wait until tomorrow morning. For instance, today:

“There was a lot of miscommunication, a lot of missed phone calls, a lot of things that happened that obviously I didn’t want to happen,” said Sopel. “It was one of those circumstances. After we landed in Toronto, we tried to get ahold of Kenny Holland to discuss the situation that was going on. Couldn’t get ahold of him for a long time. Finally when we did, it was just before game time.”

Aaron Downey will beat the hell out of you, but apparently can’t hit Keith Tkachuk in the ass with a puck from four feet away. Brent Sopel can blast a puck by the best goalies in the league, but his efforts in TC showed us he’ll just as likely give it away quicker than Bubba’s sister at a family reunion. Igor Grigorenko has all sorts of talent and “hockey sense” but can’t skate for twenty seconds without pulling out the puffer.

And so it looks like Uncles Kenny and Mikey have to make a few decisions based on potential and who’s going to hurt the team the least.

Ansar Khan(!) was handing out balloons as the Wings boarded busses for the trip to TC today. He found a few minutes to throw a few questions at his primary antagonist, Mike Babcock. One subject was potential diamond in the rough Brent Sopel.

On veteran defenseman Brent Sopel, in camp on a tryout: “I think he has a chance to be a real good fit for us. He can shoot the puck, he can skate with the puck. He’s got to take (away) some of the erratic play he’s had. (Wings assistant coach) Todd McClellan coached him juniors, I’ve known him since he was a kid, we have a real good feel for him and think he’s a top-four NHL defenseman. Now, just because we think it doesn’t mean anything, he’s got to relax and let his skill come to the forefront and show us what he brings (though the preseason).’‘

and there will be no arguments on that. The guy’s prolific, consistent and not afraid to toss some speculation in there.

Take a seat Khan(!). Your reign is over.

Updated 2037 EST: I stand corrected. I have no idea how I betrayed my sarcastic roots. MacLeod remains the anti-digger. Khan(!) retains the title.

Updated 1748 EST: this from A2Y reader BDH.

Deep Diggers: Getting Their Asses Handed to Them by the Macomb Daily since April 4, 2007.

Short. Simple. Classic. Just like Freddy Patek.

Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland confirmed, Monday, that three free agents with NHL experience will try out at the team’s main camp this week: defensemen Brent Sopel and Jassen Cullimore and forward Aaron Downey.

Updated 1807 EST: Pete over at Yzerman is God has just posted a very nice take on the Sopel scenario. Check it out here.

He has offensive potential? At least Kronwall and Lebda are young for all we hear that phrase. And he doesn’t look like a defensive stud either. You replace him with Lilja and what do you get? No better on defense, less physicality, oh yeah, and the almighty slapper. Let’s talk about that.

Some real sound analysis of the Wing PP strategy follows that quote. Good stuff Pete.

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Two days until the Wings descend on sleepy TC and the intrigue is starting to build. Two names have great potential to throw the whole damn thing into a tailspin the likes we haven’t seen since the Edmund Fitzgerald braved the Superior one fateful night in, umm, some year in the 60’s I think.

Sopel and Grigorenko. Add them to the mix and the main hatchway’s giving in brother because we’re going to have a full load of forwards and a bursting blue line.

Jeremy Bonderman’s hurt. The Lions have begun their trek to glory. Tiger Woods won again and I’m sure a redneck drove pretty fast before taking his sister out for a romantic dinner. So finding Wing news today may be tough.